One of the vehicles that was broken into was a truck that belonged to a sheriff’s deputy from Cumberland County.

Police said the deputy’s loaded handgun, a law enforcement identification and several credit cards were stolen from the vehicle.

The break-ins happened early Friday in the Ferry Village neighborhood of South Portland, near the campus of Southern Maine Community College.

Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said the deputy, who lives in the South Portland neighborhood, followed the rules and policies of the department.

The deputy, who isn't being identified, told his bosses he put his loaded handgun and his badge and credit cards in a locked console inside his personal truck because two young children were coming to visit.

"He chose not to bring the gun into the house because of the 5- and the 7-year-old," Joyce said. "It was out of plain view, so it meets the exigent circumstances per our policy, because of the fact that he just didn't want the gun being around the 5- or the 7-year-old for them to get a hold of."

In York County, law enforcement has policies regarding guns being stored in police vehicles. Sheriff Maurice Ouellette said his officers' weapons are to be stored in locked strong boxes that are mounted in the trunks of all police vehicles.

Police said someone tried to use a stolen credit card at an ATM on Commercial Street in Portland hours after the Cumberland County break-ins were reported.

Police circulated a grainy photo snapped from the ATM and released it to media outlets. Authorities received some tips on Saturday and questioned a person of interest, who was later released.

"Our biggest fear is that somebody is going to grab the ID and the gun and go on a crime spree," Joyce said. "So it's important for us to get this person in custody as soon as possible."

It's the third time a deputy with Cumberland County has had a weapon stolen. The sheriff said in one case, someone burglarized a deputy's home and took an entire safe, which contained a gun.

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